Controlled Chaos

When it comes to growing paperwhites, people always ask me how I keep them from flopping. To be honest, I don’t. Within reason, I let them naturally do their thing. Initially staking the emerging plants with twigs and twine works – to a point. One day they’re casually elegant, and the next, they’re arching over the string like competing Olympic high jumpers . . .

While a little “floppage” is okay in my book, sometimes it just gets too out of control. My work around? I snip the wayward blooms and use them to create lasting arrangements. Paperwhites make excellent cut flowers. I create my stem cuts at the top of the bulb, leaving behind the better behaved, still upright flowering stems. After some order has been restored, I can enjoy these gorgeous, fragrant flowers in both their growing state, and as a pretty bouquet in a simple glass container.

Happy arranging!

Love, Nora